Vassal by Sterling D'Este (ebook reader computer TXT) 📕

off. Go tumbling down, tossed by the force of the air between herself and the mountainside. Fling out wings at the last second. Just to prove she could. Just to lose herself in the simple fear of it.

Delyth took a step forward and sent pebbles skittering off the edge.

She didn’t hear them hit.

“Good thing the boy’s not here, eh?” Tristan was on the other side of Enyo, snickering. “He’d have wet himself at this ledge.”

“Indeed,” Enyo agreed with a snort. “I will give the boy credit where it is due, though. He was ambitious to think he could contain me. Banish me. One less piece to think about. And we should thank him. With the vassal so hopeless, it is child’s play to control her now. Any fire she had is gone. Tristan, have you thought about your reward for serving me so faithfully these moons?” She was clearly bored with the topic of Etienne, or Alphonse, or anything but herself and the basin and her glorious return.

⚄

“Hmmm… I get a reward?”

Tristan put a hand to his chin, smiling faintly, and turned to follow Enyo as she swayed over to the side of the road where they had placed their packs.

Delyth was turning too, and as Tristan watched, she took a decided step away from the ledge, her eyes wide with some emotion the rogue couldn’t name.

Jealousy, perhaps?

Enyo hadn’t asked her what her reward would be.

Tristan shrugged and followed Enyo. “I think that I would like to continue to be of service,” he said lightly. “And there are many ways that I can serve.”

Surprisingly, Delyth did nothing to cut off this line of conversation. Her eyes were fixed on Enyo still.

Hmph. Dim wit.

“Nothing so trivial as gold or silver. But certainly something… My priestess has sworn her sword to the temple, so her reward is simply a job well done. But you had no reason to come along, aside from appreciation of the old ways.”

For a time, Enyo blathered on about the old ways. The dancing, the feasting, the glorious, gruesome brutality.

She was in a fine mood when supper was finally served and even ate it without complaint. The Goddess rolled onto her back to watch the stars rise, and the moon crest over the mountainside. It seemed obvious she’d not relinquish control to Alphonse. Never again. Why should she? When they were this close?

Tristan certainly didn’t mind.

༄

Delyth sat, staring into the fire. Nearby, Enyo had given up her ceaseless talk of the old days, and both she and Tristan seemed replete in the aftermath of dinner. Delyth paid them little mind, keeping her face as calm and stoic as ever.

Though her thoughts were ablaze.

Etienne had planned to contain Enyo, had thought he had a chance at banishing the Goddess again. There might have been a way to free Alphonse.

The priestess’s conscience smote her for that, though weakly. She should be eager to unleash Enyo.

Delyth glanced at the Goddess where she lay, peaceful enough at the moment.

The other priests had simply not known just who it was they were worshipping.

She saw more good, more worth saving in the mortal girl than Enyo, and for all that she should still feel beholden to the people that had raised her, Delyth thought it was high time she started to follow her own beliefs. Alphonse came before the Goddess.

It made sense, now, why the healer had become so remote. Not only was Etienne Alphonse’s dearest friend, but he had also been her only hope of meaningful survival.

If only they had told Delyth!

She could have helped them. Kept their secret. Stopped Etienne from losing hope.

Only, they must have seen her as an enemy, an ally of the Goddess they were trying to thwart.

That hurt. Alphonse had never wholly trusted her. Not with this.

Delyth clenched her jaw against the hole that realization opened in her chest. It was full of howling winds that might escape her throat if she didn’t watch them.

Not to mention, it wasn’t helpful.

She knew now, and they had still one night before they reached Thlonandras. She just had to talk to Alphonse, had to make her see that Delyth would help any way she could.

And Enyo had been speaking of rewards…

“Enyo, I know that a job well done is a reward in itself, but I would like to ask for a boon.”

“A boon? Ba’oto?” The Goddess had been gazing into the stars above, seemingly close to sleep. Fire-filled eyes lazily drifted to the warrior priestess, and a smug smile came to Enyo’s lips. In the soft firelight, she nearly looked human. Almost like Alphonse. “What is it you would ask of your Goddess?” Her tone was indulgent, if uninterested.

Delyth paused a moment, considering her words carefully. If she offended Enyo in any way, then she would likely not get to see Alphonse at all.

And she had to see her. Had to really speak to her.

“Tomorrow, you will finally reach your temple and be reunited with your full power, the end of this long journey. I only wish to speak to Alphonse one last time to— to say goodbye.”

She all but choked on the last words. Maybe it would make her all the more believable.

Enyo slowly sat up, suddenly and keenly interested in Delyth. Eyes roamed over the warrior’s immobile face, flickering to Calamity at her side…

“I had not intended to release the vassal again.” This was putting Enyo in a position she didn’t want to be in. What would Delyth give to inconvenience her Goddess? Her mortal pleading had little effect on Enyo’s own ‘heart.’

“Would you do it for one who has served you her entire life and seen you safely to your temple?”

With Enyo, one could never be sure. She seemed to be in a good mood so close to her release, and perhaps she would grant this one thing.If not, well…

Delyth supposed she always had her blood.

“If not, what would you like in exchange?”

Enyo’s smile stretched wide, showing too many teeth. Like a wolf spotting a bison. Showing off.